Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State says banditry in the state is steadily declining, citing improved collaboration between the state and federal governments as well as increased involvement of local security outfits.
Speaking on ARISE News on Tuesday, Governor Lawal said the state is witnessing a significant reduction in the frequency and intensity of bandit attacks compared to previous years.
He emphasised that the situation, which he described as inherited and ongoing for over a decade, is finally showing signs of improvement under his administration.
“Banditry is going down gradually. I am actually saying the truth, because if you compare the numbers in the past and the numbers today, the number is declining on a daily basis,” he said. “In the past, almost on a daily basis, you would hear that 100 or 200 people were killed in different parts of the state. But now, you hardly hear such numbers.”
Lawal attributed the progress to a coordinated approach involving security agencies, improved federal-state cooperation, and the active engagement of community-based security units such as the Zamfara State Community Protection Guard.
“There is a clear understanding and collaboration between the state government, federal government, and all the security agencies,” he explained. “We have put all hands on deck to make sure we secure lives and properties of our people.”
Governor Lawal singled out the role of the Community Protection Guard as critical in the fight against rural banditry. According to him, these locally embedded guards are often the first responders to attacks and are able to navigate the terrain better than conventional security forces.
“They are doing incredibly well in their respective local governments. These people live within the communities, and they understand the trend better than the conventional security. In most cases, they lead these security forces to the hotspots,” he said. “We will continue to support them by providing logistics and resources to help them protect their communities.”
Lawal also disclosed that the recent security meeting held in Kaduna involving northern governors and security stakeholders was largely focused on tackling insecurity in the northeast region, which has seen a fresh wave of attacks in recent weeks.
“Some of the things we discussed are not what I can openly say in the media, but what I’m telling you is we are making conscious effort to look at the whole situation from the holistic angle,” he stated.
As part of long-term security reforms, Lawal confirmed that community policing is on the agenda. “You need people who understand the terrain. It’s only when you have that kind of local knowledge that you can fight this problem holistically,” he said.
Zamfara, one of the hardest-hit states by armed banditry over the years, has remained a flashpoint in Nigeria’s ongoing internal security challenges.